News/Deals
Duke Street hunts for new backers ahead of fresh fundraising
Duke Street Capital is looking for new backers to replace existing investors in its funds ahead of a fresh fundraising attempt, according to reports.
Springer Science sale back on
Germany could be home to another mega-buyout this year following news that EQT is in renewed talks with private equity investors over a potential sale of German publishing business Springer Science.
VC-backed Shazam to pursue IPO
Shazam, a London-based mobile music recognition app developer, is to pursue an initial public offering.
Bridgepoint leads Cote auction
Bridgepoint has emerged as the front-runner in the bidding process for UK-based restaurant chain Cote, which is expected to sell for £100m, according to reports.
UK government considers private equity route for Royal Mail
CVC, Carlyle and KKR are among the firms that have been approached by government advisers regarding a potential buyout of Royal Mail, according to media reports.
Eurazeo cashes in on early Danone exit
French listed private equity player Eurazeo will part ways with dairy products giant Danone as €700m's worth of exchangeable Danone bonds, issued in 2009, are set to be converted to equity.
CVC's Evonik begins listing process in Frankfurt and Luxembourg
CVC-backed Evonik Industries has begun its much anticipated listing process by issuing its 466 million shares simultaneously in Frankfurt and Luxembourg.
Intel Capital et al. back $12m Gengo funding round
Intel Capital, Iris Capital, Infocomm Investments, NTT Docomo Innovation Ventures, ST Ventures and Atomico have invested in a $12m series-B funding round for Tokyo-based translation platform Gengo.
Betfair rejects CVC-led £912m takeover bid
A £912m takeover offer led by CVC Capital Partners has been rejected by UK–based online gambling business Betfair.
PE-backed Intelsat misses IPO target
Luxembourg-based satellite operator Intelsat SA, which is backed by BC Partners and Silver Lake Partners, fell more than $100m short of its target at yesterday’s close on the NYSE.
Charterhouse could pull Ista and Elior sales
Charterhouse could put the sale processes of German energy-metering firm Ista and French catering company Elior on hold in the face of lacklustre bids, according to reports.
Joules attracts private equity interest
British fashion retailer Joules is planning on selling a minority stake to fund expansion in the UK and overseas, according to reports.
CVC eyes takeover bid for Betfair
CVC Capital Partners has confirmed it is considering bidding for London-listed online betting company Betfair Group plc.
Advent, Bain in £340m WorldPay dividend recap
WorldPay, a card payment services provider acquired by Advent International and Bain Capital in 2010, has secured a £700m refinancing including a dividend recap for the private equity owners, according to reports.
Sofinnova’s Omthera raises €48.8m in IPO
French investor Sofinnova Partners has completed the IPO of US-based portfolio company Omthera Pharmaceuticals on the Nasdaq Global Market in New York, raising €48.8m.
VC-backed SpineGuard to list on Alternext
SpineGuard, a French medical equipment producer backed by several venture capital firms including Omnes Capital, is set to list on NYSE Alternext by the end of April.
Electra finalises UBM data services acquisition
Electra Partners has acquired the majority of UBM's data services businesses, a deal agreed to in February.
Labco: formal bids expected next month
3i-backed medical diagnostics company Labco formally launched its sale process at the end of January and first bids are expected in May.
TPG mulls listing of Grohe Group
TPG-backed Grohe Group, a supplier of bathroom and kitchen products, is considering an IPO after a lengthy nine-year holding period.
Enterprise makes 9x on Kruk
Central European investor Enterprise Investors has fully exited its investment in Kruk after a 10-year holding period.
CVC to list shares in bpost
CVC Capital Partners plans to list its shares in Belgian postal service bpost on the stock market and has already appointed banks to coordinate the sale, according to reports.
Charterhouse and CVC's Ista receives second round bids
Charterhouse and CVC Capital Partners are receiving second round bids for German energy-metering firm Ista, in an auction that could fetch €3bn, according to reports.
France Telecom moves forward on EE sale
France Telecom has reportedly hired banks to advise on the dual-track sale process of mobile operator Everything Everywhere (EE), which attracted private equity interest last summer.
Astorg seals Areva unit purchase
French GP Astorg Partners and energy company Areva have signed an agreement for the takeover of Canberra, Areva’s US-based nuclear measurement subsidiary.